Learning Science through Role-Playing: Exploring Global Climate Change in an

Integrated Pre-service Science Course

William S. Harwood

James G. MaKinster

Luis Cruz

Dorothy Gabel

Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405

This manuscript is to appear in the Journal of College Science Teaching

Correspondence about this article should be addressed to William S. Harwood, School of Education, Room 3010, 201 N. Rose Ave., Bloomington, IN, 47405. [email protected]. (812) 856-8164. 2

National and state science standards roles as either Senators or members of continue to urge science teachers and special interest groups that have historically science teacher educators to incorporate been concerned with the issue of global authentic science learning opportunities into climate change. To assess the effectiveness their existing curricula (NRC, 1996; NRC, of this role-play activity, students were 2000; Indiana Department of Education, asked to anonymously evaluate their 1997). There are many approaches that a experience. The student responses were used science teacher or science educator can use to address the following questions: (a) Is a in his or her classroom. However, many role-play an effective means to increase authors argue that a proper understanding of student awareness of scientific and social science and scientific activity can only be issues related to global climate change? (b) obtained through its practice (e.g. Barab & Do students find role-playing to be a useful Hay, in press; Barab, Squire, & Dueber, means of learning and would they use it in 2000; Latour, 1987). their own classrooms? One way to engage students in science learning within a more authentic THE EXPERIENCE learning environment is through the use of The students participating in this role-playing or simulation activities. Role- role-play activity included all playing activities extend the traditional elementary/middle school pre-service notion of simply having a debate or students enrolled in a capstone integrated discussion in the classroom to one that is science content course (N = 22) at a large more complex, dynamic and authentic. For midwestern university during the fall example, unlike a debate, a role-play semester of 1999. The initial development typically involves interactions between more of this course did not include a role-play than two groups of individuals, supporting activity, but one was added in 1998 using the articulation of multiple perspectives. In population growth as the central issue addition, students are afforded the (Gabel, Harwood, & MaKinster, 2000); opportunity to take on specific roles that however, no study was conducted regarding may entail a particular perspective or set of the student experience or outcome during beliefs that may or may not be aligned with this semester. In fall 1999, the course was their own. Finally, role-plays are dynamic again revised and global climate change was and contain unexpected elements requiring chosen as the central issue for the role-play participants to quickly synthesize disparate activity. It is important to note that this information in order to effectively play out course is offered annually. their role. The students in the course comprised A role-play scenario should be a group of four males and 18 females all of structured to reflect the diversity of opinions whom were senior-level students. These and perspectives surrounding a particular students had all declared an area of issue in “real life” (Burton, 1997). This specialization in science and therefore had paper summarizes a role-play activity that completed three to four more college level took place in a college-level integrated science courses than the typical elementary science course for elementary pre-service education major by this time. students. The “real life” topic was global The role-play activity took place in a warming in the context of a hearing of a Capstone course for science concentration Senate subcommittee. Students adopted students that integrates biology, chemistry, 3 physics, and meteorology, and focuses on group and their arguments were to be based energy and global climate change. Relying on the positions of their special interest on the scenario of a Senate Subcommittee group articulated in print and other media. Hearing on Global Climate Change is seen Each group developed a position statement as an effective way to integrate many of the on global climate change and prepared to go sciences in an authentic manner. The science before the members of the Congressional behind global warming phenomena is committee to argue their case. The goal was grounded in not only meteorology and earth to convince the senators that the position of science, but also has significant connections their group on global climate change was the to the fields of biology, chemistry, and best one to adopt and use as a basis for physics. current and future legislation. The special Seventeen students of the students in interest group that was able to convince the this course were randomly assigned to one Senate committee of their position would of six special interest groups: the Sierra have a hand in writing the next piece of Club, Greening Earth Society, Greenpeace, legislation on global climate change. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, State of California Governor's Office, and EVALUATION METHODOLOGY the Center for Disease Control. The five Following the role-play event each other students were to be members of the of the students answered four open-ended Congressional Committee on Energy and evaluation questions. A World Wide Web- Natural Resources1. The class was provided based electronic delivery system enabled the with the descriptions of these groups, brief students to anonymously respond to the statements of their positions on following questions during the laboratory environmental issues, as well as the URLs portion of this course: for their websites (Table 1).  Did the Senate Committee In addition to identifying the Hearings on Global Climate help to political and social positions of each special develop your knowledge of the interest group, the students were to address issues surrounding global warming? each of the following issues during the  How did the Senate course of the hearing; (a) Is there or is there Committee Hearing on Global not a legitimate threat to the nation from Climate change your attitude about global climate change? (b) What are the global warming? options to mitigate or reverse the climate  How effective was this use of change should that be deemed necessary? "role-playing" as a way to address and (c) What additional research might be the issues surrounding Global useful in addressing the first two items? Climate change? These issues would serve as the driving  Would you use this approach questions for the decisions that would be in your own classroom? Why or why made by the Senate Subcommittee; not? however, the students were encouraged to recognize, explore, and include any other Data analyses consisted of several issues that they might discover. stages. Response data were reviewed and Each student was expected to take on commonalities among the answers were the role of a member of their special interest identified. An overall picture of the role- play was constructed and emerging themes 1 Congressional Committee on Energy and Natural were identified. Finally, our analysis Resources - http://www.senate.gov/~energy/ 4

involved comparisons between the evaluation questions and the final exam Table 1. Descriptions of student groups in global climate change role play

Student Group Description Sierra Club The Sierra Club seeks to explore, enjoy and to protect the earth. Your ( http://www.sierraclub.org ) position, then, is that global warming is a serious concern and that human activity has played a significant part in contributing to the situation. Solutions must work toward the greater good of the environment as a whole, which is presumed to be good for people as well.

Greening Earth Society The Greening Earth Society feels that the increase in carbon dioxide is ( http://www.greeningearthsociety.com ) beneficial for people and the planet. They are mistrustful of correlations between rise in carbon dioxide and rise in global average temperature and do not support any causal link between the two. It is one of their contentions that the scientific case for human effects on the climate is not yet convincing. Funding for the Society comes largely from the Western Mining Association.

Greenpeace Greenpeace lives by the principles of independence, non-violence, bearing ( http://www.greenpeace.org ) witness and commitment to peace and the well being of the natural world. Greenpeace describes its members as optimistic, brave and deeply committed, not just managing environmental abuse but eliminating it. They describe their way of doing things as radical, dogged, determined, often confrontational, and enthusiastic. It is their belief that protecting the environment is a test of democracy.

Environmental Protection Agency The official mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is to ( http://www.epa.gov ) protect human health and to safeguard the natural environment air, water, and land upon which life depends. They fund much of the research around environmental questions and their possible solutions. In addition, they are they regulatory arm of the government with regard to enforcing environmental laws passed by Congress. Funding for this aspect of their work is often limited.

California State Governor's Office California is convinced that man-made contributions to greenhouse gas ( http://www.ca.gov/s ) emissions are directly responsible for global warming. As a state with a large coastline and limited water resources, officials are very concerned. The general feeling is that strong steps need to be taken quickly to avert more serious problems in the future. Centers for Disease Control The mission of the CDC is to promote health and quality of life by ( http://www.cdc.gov ) preventing and controlling disease, injury, and disability. They are convinced that global climate change will affect the dynamics of infectious disease transmission. They are anxious to be able to better predict these affects so as to better address the need for vaccination or the development of public health policies.

Senate Subcommittee You are respected members of the U.S. Senate and will have the ( http://www.senate.gov/~energy ) opportunity to influence the legislation that is put forward to the full committee. As Senators, your perspective is more national, although the position of your party is an important influence. You should not model the personal position of any current member of this committee or subcommittee, but you should try to represent the interests of the constituents of your state. None of you are facing re-election this coming year. 5 6 questions in order to answer our initial temperature and lack of water, research questions. Pseudonyms are used for especially in areas where water the student responses presented below. shortages are already a problem.”

THE ROLE-PLAY ACTIVITY EVALUATION RESULTS The debate and dialogue on the first Global Climate Change Issues and Student day was fairly straightforward. Each group Attitudes presented their case, the senators asked a The students in this course were very few questions, and the group responded. willing to share their thoughts about the This discussion allowed the several effectiveness of using "role-playing" as a perspectives surrounding global climate way to learn about the issues surrounding change to be articulated and the class global climate change. The vast majority of quickly became aware that there were some the students (15 out of 18 surveyed) profound differences between the groups. responded very favorably to this learning The second day of the role-play activity. One of the remaining three students event was quite different from the first. was absent on the first day of the Between day one and day two, the senators experience, so she felt a little ambiguous met and prepared a series of questions about the experience. The other two students designed to clarify the positions and seemed to be somewhat overwhelmed by the arguments articulated by several of the amount of information and trying to keep groups. It was clear that the Senators had track of the different positions held by each conducted their own research on a number of the special interest groups. The students of topics and were using this as a basis for that responded positively to this experience their inquiry. In the context of their follow- felt that the committee hearings helped them up questions, the Senate set up a mini-debate to develop their knowledge of global between the Greening Earth Society and the warming issues, change their attitude about EPA. This debate was quite lively with the significance and importance of global Senators interjecting questions and it climate change, and view role-playing as an eventually resulted in a discussion between effective means for science teaching and all members of the class. Throughout this learning. Annie’s response is representative incident the Greening Earth Society, which of many of the opinions and thoughts maintains that the proliferation of CO2 is a expressed by the students. good thing because it contributes to plant growth, was often targeted by the senators “ The Senate Committee Hearings on and the other special interest groups. For Global Climate has helped me become example, during the hearing one student, aware of global warming and its effects. Kelly, exclaimed: Before doing this project, I was uncertain about global warming and “ The Greening Earth Society would why it was such a big deal. After like you to believe that plants thrive in hearing from different groups and their CO2 rich environments, which may be views on global warming I am aware of true, but as we’ve seen, and as I think each concern. I can see that carbon the [EPA] is stating, water resources dioxide will help the vegetation on would become limited from the effects of Earth, but at the same time would the global warming, therefore plants would increase of carbon dioxide increase be stressed from both increased other harmful gases in our atmosphere? 7

I believe that we need to start doing do the same.” something to decrease global warming.” Content Knowledge Many of the students articulated a The final exam contained two relationship between being able to hear and specific questions relating to global discuss global climate change issues and a warming, its causes and effects. These change in their attitude regarding the were: importance of confronting the proliferation 1. How do CO2 molecules in the of greenhouse gases. In the context of this atmosphere cause global warming? role-play, students were able to build on Please address this issue at the their prior knowledge about global warming molecular level as well as at the and the proliferation of CO2, identify some atmospheric (macro) level. of the alternative conceptions that they had, 2. How will increased average global and form their own opinion as to the temperatures affect weather systems importance and significance of global such as hurricanes and tornadoes? climate change as an environmental concern. Very few of the students (6 of 23) received full marks for the first of these Attitude Toward Role-Playing questions with an average of 7.8 out of 15 The students also expressed a strong points for the class on this question. Most of desire to use role-playing in their own the students understood that CO2 traps heat classroom. They felt that this type of activity energy and a majority recalled that infrared would bring more excitement and energy was absorbed by CO2 molecules and enthusiasm to their students, as well as re-emitted in random directions. However, providing a unique opportunity to examine most students did not remember that the the issues surrounding a particular science absorption of infrared radiation is associated topic. The role-play provided a simulated with molecular vibrations. Finally, for a few authentic setting for which the students had students, serious misconceptions remained – to conduct research on a particular topic and most notably a confusion between the allowed them to develop a personal sense of greenhouse effect and ozone depletion in the investment in their learning. For example, stratosphere. Thus, these few students Carl stated: referred to ultraviolet radiation being absorbed by CO2 or even discussed chlorine “ I would use this approach in my as being involved in warming the classroom. As I stated earlier, some atmosphere. students, like myself, learn through role- On the other hand, the question playing or hands-on activities. about the effect of increased average Researching a topic as a group or temperature on weather systems was well individually will help the student learn understood by the students (average of 11.6 more because they have to look up the out of 15 points). Most of the students information and present. I believe that correctly described the driving forces of students will enjoy doing an activity like cyclonic weather systems and understood this because they are in control of what that the global warming trend would is going on in the classroom. I learned a increase ocean surface temperatures. This, lot from doing this activity, so I would in turn, would increase the frequency and think that my students would be able to severity of these storms over time. 8

Interestingly, two students indicated that and learning. It is our intention to include hurricanes and tornadoes would decrease as the same or a similar role-play activity in global warming occurred. Our best future iterations of this course. explanation for this misconception stems Students were also afforded the from misunderstanding the concept of opportunity to take on specific roles that increased average global temperature. It entailed a particular perspective and/or set of may be that these two students took that to beliefs. This seemed to cause many of these mean that the temperature difference students to struggle with the tension between between warm and cold fronts would accurately portraying their role-played decrease. That is, that the temperature of the character and expressing their personal atmosphere as a whole would tend toward a beliefs and opinions. It is possible, that this single value resulting in a lessening of metacognitive tension can actually result in cyclonic storms in both number and helping students to more readily identify and strength. develop their own opinions about the issue at hand. As evidenced in this activity, role- SUMMARY play experiences can serve as powerful and There are a number of essential memorable experiences in the context of a components of a “successful” role-play college science classroom. (Aubusson, et. al., 1997; Burton, 1997; Cronin-Jones, 2000). First, teachers should REFERENCES select a current and unresolved issue. Recent Aubusson, P., Fogwill, S., Perkovic, science-related articles in newspapers or L., & Barr, R. (1997). What happens when popular periodicals are excellent sources. students do simulation-role-play in science? Second, the issue should elicit some Research in Science Education, 27(4), 565- emotional response from student—if they do 79. not really care about the issue they will not Barab, S. A., & Hay, K. E. (in press). want to work very hard to resolve it. Third, Doing science at the elbows of experts: the issue should be one that can be viewed Issues related to the science apprenticeship from at least four different perspectives and camp. Journal of Research in Science it should be focused and rather specific as Teaching. opposed to broad or general. Finally, Barab, S. A., Squire, K., Dueber, B. authentic information written at a level (2000). Supporting authenticity through students can comprehend should be participatory learning. Educational available for all of the perspectives related Technology Research and Development, to the issue. 48(2), 37-42. The role-play in this integrated Burton, L. D. (1997). Hitting the science course served as an effective means issues head on: Using role play in science for supporting student learning, developing education. (ED411162). student opinion, and fostering pre-service Gabel, D., Harwood, W., MaKinster, science teacher professional development. In J. (January, 2000) Energy and its impact on other words, the Global Climate Change human lives: A new component in the role-play served as a successful model for preparation of elementary and middle these teachers. They were able to not only school teachers at Indiana University. Paper increase their understanding of science presented at the NOVA Leadership issues and content, but also learn more about Development Conference, NASA, Cape this alternative approach to science teaching Canaveral, FL. 9

Indiana Department of Education (1997). The Indiana science proficiency guide: Science in action for all Indiana students. Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Department of Education. Latour, B. (1987). Science in action: How to follow scientists and engineers through society. Milton Keynes, England: Open University Press. National Research Council. (1996). National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.